Becoming a parent could help you live longer in old age

It has been discovered that becoming a parent could guarantee that you live longer in older age.

While previous research has shown that adults with children live longer than those who don’t, a new study has delved further to see how it affects us as senior citizens.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, looked at over 1.4 million people born between 1911 and 1925 and found that men and women with at least one child had a lower death risk than those who were childless.

Pic: Getty

‘We started first at the age of 60 and we looked all the way up to the age of 100,’ said Karin Modig, a co-author of the research from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.

At the age of 60, men with children could live another 20.2 years, in comparison to those without children who were more likely to live another 18.4 years.

At the same age, mums could hope to live another 24.6 years in comparison to childless women who were likely to live another 23.1 years.

PIc: Getty

Unlike previous research, this studyalso stated that the gender of the children made no difference to the life span of the parent.

‘Having children is associated with increased longevity, particularly in an absolute sense in old age,’ the research team said.

‘That the association increased with parents’ age and was somewhat stronger for the non-married may suggest that social support is a possible explanation.’